We spent months designing our dresses, choosing fabric, and making patterns. All our samples were made and passed our fit tests. We did it – we made beautiful, high-quality dresses for curvy women. There was just one final step before baker miller could officially launch – a photoshoot.
There was a lot of work coordinating our photoshoot. It wasn't easy pulling everything together, from creating mood boards to finding the right location and models. Today's blog post will share our steps to execute our brand's first photoshoot.
The concept
In the months leading up to the shoot, we spent a lot of time thinking about the concept. What kind of look and feel did we want for our photos?
The concept helped communicate our vision and goals with the entire working team involved in the shoot. It answered questions concerning our location, hair, makeup, and models. There was no ambiguity - we were all on the same page, working toward the same outcome.
The baker miller woman is confident, optimistic, and loves life. Our designs are very Southern California-inspired. Our garments are about looking put together and feeling sophisticated without compromising on comfort. The incredible diversity – the many landscapes and cultures that define this region – inspired our use of vibrant colors and bold prints. We wanted our photos to reflect the joy of the baker miller woman mixed in with the modern, colorful, and sunny backdrop of Southern California.
Create a mood board
Once we established our aesthetic, we made an inspiration or mood board. This board contained various images that resonated with us and communicated the message we wanted to send with our brand photos.
We searched through Pinterest and fashion magazines for images that captured the look and feel we wanted to evoke. The photos included poses we liked and certain backgrounds and settings we wanted to have.
The mood board was a visual reference for the creative direction of the shoot. Sharing this with the team helped set the expectations of the shoot for everyone involved.
Find models
Next, it was time to put the team for the photoshoot together. Our first step was to find models who fit our brand well. We wanted diverse models with a great natural look, confidence, and smile.
We approached modeling agencies as we were looking for models with experience. We did an initial casting and eventually chose two that fit the energy of our brand.
Find a photographer, hair & makeup artist, and stylist
It was time to find the right photographer to bring our vision to life. Our photographer required experience in fashion photography and also needed to understand our creative direction.
After reviewing several portfolios, we found a photographer who was the right fit for our brand. She had the types of shots we liked and meshed well with our ideas.
Our approach to finding a hair and makeup artist was similar to finding a photographer - someone who had experience with fashion photography, a strong portfolio, and understood our vision.
We wanted our hair and makeup to be sophisticated but natural. We did not want an overly done-up or dramatic look, which was not in line with our concept.
The founder of baker miller handled the styling for our shoot. She planned each outfit the model would be wearing. She sourced shoes and accessories, ensured the products fit on set, and all looks were consistent with the creative direction.
Overall, the styling was kept simple (i.e., "less is more") as we wanted the garments to take center stage.
Find a location
We found a location that matched our product and mood board. Keeping with our Southern California aesthetic, we looked for a space that felt modern, with natural sunlight and fun splashes of color.
We also wanted flowers and trees in our background, so the location needed to have a lot of greenery. We found a lovely home in the well-known community of Venice, famous for its unique culture and laid-back vibe, that met our requirements.
We went on a few scouting trips before the shoot to determine our shot list of all the photographs we wanted to take. This list included all shots, poses, and backgrounds we wanted to capture.
In our next blog post, we will provide more behind-the-scenes content from one of the biggest days in our brand so far. Here's a sneak peak at some photos from our photoshoot:
Special thanks to:
Jean Marie B. / Photographer
Hannah C. / Photographer
Sooyon K. / Makeup
Crys B. / Hair
Kelsey K. / Model
Cné R. / Model